Swab



Aug. 27, 1929.

F. H. MIRACLE SWAB Fund April 5o Snwmoc FHM/721615 ao: nu

Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES ronnsfr H. MIRACLE, orrrnLsA, OKLAHOMA, Assrenon ro LLOYD e. OWEN, or

, TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

. SWAB.

Application filed April 30, 1927. Serial No. 187,939.

' This invention relates to oil well swabs.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel form oit' swab employing .a rubber or similar packing member which 1s adapted to contact with the oilvwell casing upon upward movement of the device and to contract to permit it to move freely in the casing when the device is moved downwardly whereby an elicient elevation of the liquid is accomplished when the device is elevated and wherein wear is eliminated or minimized when the device is moved downwardly.v

A further obj ectis to provide novel means for utilizing the pressure of the column of liquid above the device for expanding the packing member or members when the ldevice is elevated.

A further object is to provide a novel form of packing which is adapted to be sub jected to internal pressure upon upwardl movement of the device and' wherein the upper end of the packing is anchored to.`

prevent it from pulling downwardly upon the introduction of pressure, thus greatly increasing the efficiency of the device and lengthening the life ofthe packing.` 1

A further object is to provide one or more packing devices carriedby the usual hollow` to expand the packing members, the lowerv end of the stem having a check valve mounted thereon to permit the flow of iluid into the lower end of the stem when the device is lowered, the check valve being adapted to close upon upward movement of thev stem.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodimet of the invention. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view, i

Figure 2 is a detail section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, and, l

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the packing members.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the usual tubular stemv which is threaded or otherwise secured at its upper end to a head 11, the latter element having a threaded upper end 12 adapted for connection with a-suitable tool toy permit the deviceto be reciprocated. The head may be provided with a square orsimilar portion 13 adapted to be engaged by a wrench, as will be apparent. The upper end of the stem 10 lis provided with radial openings 14 communicating with `r`the interior oi the well head 11.

struction. 1

The device forming the'subject matter of:

the present invention comprises a rubber or similar packing member 18 which isshaped as shownin Figures 13 and 3. Any desired number `of the packing members may be employed and in the present instance I have shown two of lthese devices 4mounted upon the stem. The upper end of the packing p.

member' extends into a retaining ring 1'9 which has` anrannular recess 2O in which the upper end of the packing member is ar` ranged.

annular portion 22 of the packing member.

The retaining'ring 19 seats against the lower rlvhe upper extremity of ,the recess 2O 1s enlarged asy at 21 to receive the enlarged end of the headll, as clearly shown in Figure 1. A lower retaining ring 23 is also employed, thisring being provided with a recess 24 receiving the' lower end of` the packing member. lA nut 25 is threaded on the stem 10 and supports the lower end of the ring 23. "It will be vobvious that the adjacent ends of the rings 19 and 23 are spaced a substantial'dis'tance to permit the packing member 18 to project outwardly to contact with the oil well casing. The packr`ing member is providedk with an internal pressure chamber 26 which 'is arranged slightly abovethe center of the length of the packing member, and this .chamber communicates with the interior of the stem 10 through radial openings 27. As stated, any number of the packing devices may be employed, the ring 19 of the uppermost device seating against the head 11. A nut 28 is threaded on the stem 10 and seats against the ring 19y of any other packing devices em ployed on the stein.v In other respects, the

packing devices are identical.

The operation of the device is as follows: The nuts 25 are vpreferably adjusted in such position that the diameters of the packing members 18 are slightly smaller than llO the internal diameter of the well casing whereby the device readily may be inserted in the well casing.v vThe stem is adapted to be reciprocated by any suitable tool connected to the head 11, and'upon downwardv movement of the device it will be apparent that oil may flow upwardly through the valve 17 and outwardly through the openings 14 and 15. Thus no pressure is created withinl the chambers 26, and the packing members 18 remain at their normal size and move freely within the well casing. Upon upward movement of the. stem it willy be apparent that the valve 17 closes, and oil from the column above the device flowsinto the stem through the openings 11i and 15, and into the chambers 26 through the vopenings 27. .Owing to the weight ofthe column of oil in the casing above the device, each of the packing members is subjected to substantial internal pressure when the device is moved upwardly, and this pressure expands the packing members causing them to seat tightly against the well casing. The arrangement of the chambers 26 is such that an even pressure is exerted outwardly to cause the proper seating of the ,packing members against the` well casing, it being understood that there is not only an outward. pressure exerted by the Column of oil, but also a slight downward pressure due to the upward movement of the device against the weight of the column of oil. It is for this reason that the chambers 26 are arranged slightly above` the centers of the packing members.

With devices of this characterit has been found extremely diiiicult to prevent the downward slipping of the upper ends of the packing members when pressure is introduced therein. liVith the present construction, however, it has been found that the bead or enlarged portion 22 of each packing member, seating within its corresponding' 'recess portion 21, causes the upper end of the packing members to be retained in proper position, and in actual practice it has been found that a materially increased efficiency is obtained and that the packing members last considerably longer in oper- 1 ation.

v Iioined claims.

From the foregoing it will be apparent` that free downward movement of the device is permitted with little or no wear on the packing members taking place, and from this fact it will be apparent that the packing members are adapted to las-t. longer than other similar devices. Vhen the stem 10 is v'moved upwardly, the packing members seat ytightly against the' well casing, thus elevatis to be taken as apreferred example of ther` same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit f or the scope of the subof the invention I claim: n v 1. A swab comprising upper and lower rings having recesses intheir adjacentv ends portion fitting within the enlarged portion y of said last named recess, said packing member being provided with an internal pressure chamber, the stem being provided with an opening communicating with said chamber. i '2. A swab comprising upperv and lower rings having recesses at their adjacent ends `and adapted tol surround a. stem, the recess in said upper ring being enlarged at its upper end, and an'eXpansible packing inember arranged between said rings, the upper end of said packing member having an enlarged portion fitting within the enlarged portion of said last named recess, said packing member being provided with an internal pressure chamber arranged slightly above the center of the distance between said rings, the stem being provided with an opening communicating with said chamber.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my'signature.

FOREST H. MIRACLE. 

